Sweden | Visiting the Nation’s Capital

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BY CHRISTINE PAHEL

How Do I Get There? 

You have three options to get to Stockholm from your residence in Lund—train, bus, or airplane. You can easily find a flight to Stockholm from Copenhagen (about a 40-minute train ride away from Lund) or Malmö (about a 10 minute train ride away from Lund). If you choose not to fly, you can take the bus, which is the cheapest, but also longest way to travel to Stockholm Central Station. I chose to take the SJ Train from Lund Central Sation to Stockholm. On the SJ Train, you can choose to take the day or night train. While the night train takes longer, you have the option of staying in a sleeping car. I chose to stay in a sleeping car because the ticket is not significantly more expensive and saves you a night at an Airbnb or hotel. Keep in mind, the train arrives around 06:00, so if you are not an early riser, this is not for you. 

Things to Do: 

Take a Boat Tour Around the Archipelago 

Stockholm offers many boat and canal tours during the late spring and summer months. During the winter, these tours are limited, but it is still possible to find one or two still running. I highly recommend taking a boat around Stockholm. Stockholm consists of a series of islands, so the only way to grasp its full beauty is to explore it by boat. Many of the smaller islands are only accessible by boat. 

 Explore the Why the Vasa Sank at the Vasa Museum 

The Vasa was a well adorned Swedish warship that sank during its maiden voyage. The brackish waters around Sweden kept the ship well preserved even though it is nearly 400 years old. It is one of the top places to visit in Stockholm, and there is no question why. You can see the intricate carvings of figurines around the ship’s hull, see pieces of the sails that are still intact, and read about the lives of the passengers that were lost when the ship sunk. The museum is several stories tall, so you can see the ship from all angles. 

Visit Storkyrkan (The Great Church) 

Although admittedly unimpressive on the outside, Storkyrkan is breathtaking once you go inside. Some areas are only for silent prayer and reflection. So if you are going in just to sightsee, be mindful of what section you are in. 

Walk Through the Royal Palace 

Stockholm’s Royal Palace is home to a seemingly endless number of ornately decorated rooms. Each room is adorned with antique furniture, royal portraits, and artfully done architecture. Don’t forget to look up! Many of the ceilings have murals, and some of them even have Greco-Roman sculptures incorporated into them.  If you’re lucky, you might even catch the changing of the guard. During the ceremonial changing of the guard, the military’s marching band plays, and there is a parade. The entire procession can last up to 40 minutes, so if you come during the early afternoon, you should be able to catch at least part of it. Check the times of the changing of the guard before heading to the Royal Palace because it can be quite difficult to see if you don’t find a good area before the crowds start forming. 

Explore the World Without Sight in the Invisible Museum 

The Invisible Museum is something I highly recommend to all travelers. The Invisible Museum is dedicated to help the general population better understand what is it like to lose part or all of your sight. The tour starts by using a typewriter-like device to spell your name in Braille. Next, you are lead into a pitch black room. After you start, you can’t any sources of light. But don’t worry, you’ll have a tour guide to lead you around so you don’t get lost. Throughout the course of the tour, you’ll go through several simulations of daily life, like walking through a house, ordering food, or crossing a street—all while being unable to use your vision at all. After the tour in the dark is finished, you can put on a blindfold and try to do different puzzles and board games that are adapted for blind people. This museum is truly amazing for starting to understand what its like to live without your sight. Please note: if you don’t speak Swedish, you’ll have to book a tour in advance to have it in English. 

Learn About Sweden’s War-Filled Past at the Army Museum 

If you are a war-buff or love weaponry, this is the museum for you. Although modern Sweden is known for being a peaceful and neutral nation, its past was filled with various wars between the Nordic countries and Russia. This museum contains various wartime artifacts from before the 17th century to present day. At the beginning of the museum, you can explore the expansion and restriction of the Swedish kingdom. You can see firsthand the medieval flags and banners that soldiers risked their lives to protect. Eventually, you enter the 20th century, when Sweden officially proclaimed it was “neutral.” However, this did not stop the state from being well prepared in case of war, especially during the Second World War.  The museum ends with a collection of present-day guns, including some (of course unloaded) ones that you can touch and hold. 

 Experience Nordic Culture in the Nordic Museum 

The Nordic Museum is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in Nordic culture—both past and present. The museum has a collection of Nordic clothing, toys, and furniture. Additionally, you can learn about how table settings have evolved based on both time period and occasion. The museum also has a temporary display. When I visited, it was a simulation of the Northern Lights, which you can see from the Northernmost Nordic regions.  

See the Whole City at Skyview 

Skyview is located at the Ericsson globe— the largest spherical building in the world. Once there, you can go in one of two spherical pods that travel to the top of the globe. These pods offer panoramic views of the city, so if you want to see Stockholm from a bird’s eye view—this is the best place to go. 

Christine Pahel studied abroad in Lund, Sweden, in Spring 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/sweden/Pages/lund_univ.aspx

Sweden | Things to Do in Malmö

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BY CHRISTINE PAHEL

Get Your Residence Permit 

Prior to arriving at Lund University, UCEAP students are required to apply for a residence permit. While all the paperwork is completed back at your home university, it is in Malmö where you finish applying for the residence permit. The immigration office is most easily accessible by bus. I recommend taking an interregional bus straight there instead of transferring from the train. At the immigration office in Malmö, students have their biometrics taken. After a short waiting period, successful applicants will receive their permit in the mail. Note: always carry your residence permit with you, especially when traveling. Immigration officers may ask to see it, and if you have surpassed your 90-day period for being in the Schengen Zone, you’ll need to it prove that you have the right to stay longer because of your studies. 

See the Turning Torso 

The Turning Torso is a landmark of Malmö designed by Santiago Calatrava. This skyscraper definitely steals the horizon of Malmö. With its intricate twist, this architectural feat is difficult to miss. If you are unable to make the 25-minute walk from Malmö Central Station to the seaside where the building is located, don’t worry. You should be able to steal a glimpse of the building from many locations throughout town, especially near Malmohus.

Shop at IKEA 

In Sweden, IKEA products are everywhere. 95% of the furnishings in my apartment, from the bed to every last piece of silverware, are from IKEA. The first few weeks here, I noticed that the glasses throughout town looked remarkedly the same until I realized: they are all from IKEA. Whether you need to furnish your barren bathroom or just want to design your dream apartment, you are bound to go to IKEA during your time in Sweden. Take a break during your shopping to enjoy some Swedish food in the café. It is one of the few places I’ve been able to find Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce. Unfortunately, there is no IKEA in Lund, so you’ll have to travel to Malmö if you want to go to IKEA. Luckily, Malmö Syd Svågertorp station drops you off right outside of IKEA. 

Walk through Slottstradgarden 

 Slottstradgarden is adjacent to Malmöhus Castle. I recommend stopping here either before or after your visit to the Castle. It has a charming Swedish windmill and wide open spaces for reading a book, taking a walk, or playing Frisbee with some friends. 

Relax in Kungsparken 

Kungsparken is a large park that is also adjacent to Malmöhus Castle. The park has quaint streams and a large pond that are gorgeous to look at. It also has large spaces for playing sports and walking trails. 

See Malmöhus Castle 

 Malmöhus Castle is located by both Slottstragarden and Kungsparken. It still has its moat, though it is less intimidating when you see ducks swimming in it during the springtime.Visitors have the opportunity to explore the inside of the castle. Part of the castle has been retrofitted as different exhibits, including a natural history museum. At the natural history section of the museum, you can explore the formation of earthquakes, see a collection of taxidermied animals from around the world, and explore the skeletons of various wildlife. The natural history museum is geared towards being family friendly, so it’s a good place to take visiting relatives. In addition to the natural history museum, the castle contains an aquarium. The aquarium hosts both fresh and salt water marine life including seahorses and jellyfish. It even has a nursery section where you can see baby fish and other aquatic species. When exploring the aquarium, see if you can find Nemo and Dory! The castle also has an art exhibit that contains antique furniture and paintings. If you prefer modern art, there are also modern art exhibits as well. If open, there is a conference like room off to the side of the art exhibit that hosts a magnificent organ. If you are lucky, you might be able to steal a peak at it. After the art exhibit, there is a temporary exhibit section of the castle. When I went, it was on the Romani people.The castle also lets you explore the guard towers. You can walk around the tower, peering outside like the guards once did. On your way towards the next part of the museum, the hallway gets dark and you can barely see the museum poster in front of you. If you turn on your flashlight on your phone to better see the museum description, you might notice something in your peripheral vision—a skeleton still bound by chains. Without a flashlight, the skeleton is practically impossible to see, making you wonder what the conditions were like in this prison portion of the castle. The last section of the castle has a warning that it isn’t for children—this is the section focusing on the prison. The first room has a wall of photos of past prisoners. As you continue, you learn about the rats and lice that invested the buildings. The attempts to scare you with dramatic music and enlarged photos of lice were a little brought down by the adorable mouse playing on its hamster wheel in the same section. As you moved on, you learn about the people who were executed in the castle. Warning: this section really isn’t for children. The room is dark, filled with gruesome stories, and in the background you can hear a guillotine dropping and the sound of it chopping. This dark section is the last section of the castle open to visitors. 

Remember the Past in Gamla kyrkogården 

Gamla kyrkogården is a graveyard from the early 1800s and is still being used to this day. While that may not sound like somewhere fun to visit, it has the atmosphere of a park. Many people walk through or relax there during a sunny day. 

Shop at Triangelm Mall 

Triangelm mall is easily accessible by train from Lund. Whether you are looking for jewelry, home goods, restaurants, or a dress for a ball, this mall has it all. If Nova Lund doesn’t have what you are looking for, I suggest checking here next. 

 

Christine Pahel studied abroad in Lund, Sweden, in Spring 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/sweden/Pages/lund_univ.aspx

Sweden | How is Lund Different From UCLA? 

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BY CHRISTINE PAHEL

Sweden

 Lund University is Not a Unified Campus 

Lund University is spread throughout the town in little clusters in place of being one continuous campus. This means there is no one campus housing, but this also means that you can live practically anywhere in the city and still be close to a part of campus (and its WiFi!). 

No Sports Teams 

    

Well, sort of no sports teams. Some nations have the equivalent of our intermural sports teams, but there are no football teams or even soccer teams. People still cheer for Swedish professional sports teams, and in the mall you can even find American baseball hats (though much to my disappointment, no SF Giants). If you are a sports addict, sorry, this probably isn’t the place for you. However, if you want a place that values education before athletics, this is the right place. The campus doesn’t even have a gym. There are gyms located through the city and free outdoor gyms for those who like to work out. 

You Call Professors by Their First Name 

This really threw me at first because it’s something I’d never think about doing back home. However, the Swedish educational system is pretty informal. In class and via email, you are expected to call professors by their first name, not by their title. To them, this is a way of insuring that in the classroom you feel that you are being treated like a peer in the field compared to just a student. 

There Aren’t Any Protests On Campus 

Granted, UCLA does not protest nearly as much as UC Berkeley, but I am still used to seeing protests as I walk to class. In Lund, or Sweden in general, this would be incredibly rare to see. I heard that Swedes only protest one day a year. While I doubt this is true, the fact that I’ve only seen one group protest during my time here makes it pretty convincing to believe. Instead of being active for your cause through protests, Swedes favor discussing concerns. Even this isn’t very commonplace though because many Swedes are expected to keep controversial thoughts more or less to themselves (Sweden is a country that promotes unanimous decisions). 

It’s Freezing 

Literally, quite often. If you came to Sweden and didn’t expect cold weather, you made a big mistake. While it’s not always freezing, it doesn’t exactly get warm either. It’s spring time as I write this, and people are still going around downtown with heavy and down jackets in the middle of the day. Unless you have a high tolerance for cold and windy weather, you probably won’t be getting much use out of those pair of shorts you packed.  

No Flyering 

UCLA is notorious for Bruinwalk—an area where student groups hand out flyers to recruit people to join their clubs and come to their events. The major downside to this is that Bruinwalk is constantly littered with flyers from people who were too polite to say no and flyers that were blown away in the wind. In Lund, people are never handing out flyers. There are posters on the walls of buildings advertising events and occasionally some group outside with a table, but no flyering. Sweden highly prioritizes the environment so no flyering also means no litter. 

Breaks 

Lund, and Sweden, love breaks. In a two hour class, more likely than not you’ll have a 10-15 minute break. For every hour of class after that, expect another equally long break. Throughout the day, people are expected to take fika breaks and enjoy some coffee and some nice sweets. Even at work, people still have several fika breaks throughout the day. 

The Age of the City  

It’s shocking how much history surrounds you in Lund. Lund was created before Copenhagen was even considered a main city. The cathedral in the center of town dates back from the mid-1000 A.D. The local museums have medieval relics from the surrounding areas. Next to the Main University Building, there is a little mound surrounded by stones with Nordic runes written on them.  One day walking back from campus, I found church ruins located within an average looking building. You’ll never know what you’ll find. 

Education is Free (for Citizens) 

Many Swedes and other international students don’t understand why I spend so much on college. In Sweden, university is not only free, but students get paid to attend. Unfortunately, as an exchange student, you still have to pay tuition. EU students studying in Sweden also receive a free education. So, if you are an EU citizen and fall in love with Sweden, you have the opportunity to complete your Master’s program there free of charge.  

Grades Aren’t on a Bell Curve 

In Sweden, curves aren’t a thing. Before you get terrified, this works to your benefit. They aren’t on a curve because they don’t need to be on a curve. I had to explain to a Swedish student that our tests are usually designed so grades naturally (or artificially through curving) fall on a bell curve. In Sweden, if you do a good job, regardless of how other students do, you’ll probably get a good grade. On my first midterm in my psychology class, approximately one-third of the class received As. In one of my friend’s engineering classes, only one person in his entire class failed the course. 

 If You Fail, It’s Not a Big Deal (for Lund University Students) 

At Lund University, professors offer retakes for all their exams—usually more than one. This is without needing a doctor’s note or needing to retake the class. If a student failed, they just merely retake it. No questions asked and no consequences. Before you start thinking that you can slack off during your time here and miss a few of the exams, this policy doesn’t apply to UCEAP students, even if they are in a course with other LU students. The same policy as back home applies: if you fail a class the first time or miss an exam, it still counts as an F on your transcript. So don’t miss any exams, even if other students and professors say you can. 

Christine Pahel studied abroad in Lund, Sweden, in Spring 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/sweden/Pages/lund_univ.aspx

Sweden | Sweden versus The United States of America

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BY CHRISTINE PAHEL

Sweden

Sweden has a constitutional monarchy for their political structure. While they have a royal family, most of the power lays with the parliament (Riksdag). Instead of having a president, like in the United States, they have a prime minister, who is selected by the political parties. 

Number of Political Parties 

Sweden has eight major political parties. You read correctly—eight. While I knew that European parliaments tended to have more major political parties, I was expecting two or three more than the United States, not six. These parties are the Social Democrats (the one you’ll hear the most about during your time here), the New Moderates, the Sweden Democrats, the Green Party, the Center Party, the Left Party, the Liberals, and the Christian Democrats. 

Unlike America, Sweden is a Welfare State 

Sweden is a welfare state. It has attributes of both socialism and capitalism. The government provides universal healthcare, regulates maternity and paternity leave, grants paid leave, and provides unemployment benefits among other things. While the government has a fair amount of power in the economic sector, Sweden is a capitalistic society. It is home to global corporations, such as H&M and Ikea.  

Opening Hours for Shops 

 

Shops aren’t open as for as many hours as in the U.S. Most stores, apart from grocery stores, aren’t open everyday, especially in Lund. In Lund, don’t expect to be able to do much shopping after 6pm. Apart from some stores in the mall that are open until 8pm, not much is open, especially downtown. Some places, like the Lund Accommodation Office and the university gift shop, are only open a couple hours out of the day. Keep track of government holidays because not only are almost all stores closed, the university also locks some of its buildings.  

Ice Cream Shops Aren’t Open Year-Round 

I found this incredibly disappointing but not shocking. For months, I walked by two closed ice cream shops every day, without seeing them open once. There were no signs on the door indicated when they might be open again, so it was difficult to tell if they’d ever open, or if they went out of business. One day in early April, I finally saw the shop open, catching me by surprise. I went in an ordered a cookie dough shake and my friend got a licorice one (Sweden really does have licorice everywhere). While the person was getting our shakes ready, we asked about when they’d be open. She replied, “we are only open when the weather is nice.” Since Lund only has a handful of sunny and warm days, I clearly had a different idea of what was considered nice weather. If you want ice cream, you’re probably going to have to get it at a store, unless it is spring or summer. 

 Swedes Are Classy Dressers 

The Swedish people I have seen dress incredibly well. It’s not like back in the U.S. where you just walk around in whatever is comfortable (even if that means pajamas at some college campuses). Here, everyone looks dressed to impressed. I didn’t include this point to worry you if you don’t care about fashion. No one seems to care here about what you wear. Rather, dressing nicely just appears to be part of the culture. Like many parts of Europe, but unlike America, the clothes they choose to wear tend to be dark neutral colors. For instance, most winter jackets you see will be black. This is the norm, but certainly there are exceptions. I chose to wear a green down jacket and a pinkish red beanie during the winter. Needless to say, none of my friends had trouble finding me around town. 

The Language of Movies 

If you don’t want to wait until you get home to see some of the new movies that have premiered, some cinemas offer movies in English. This surprised me. I was expecting the movie theaters to only show movies in Swedish, especially considering every movie advertisement I have seen in Lund has been in Swedish. There is one cinema called Filmstaden that offers movies in English in Lund. It located not far from Botulfsplatsen bus terminal on the south side of town. Be careful though, not all of the movies are available in English. Most movies are; however, the movies designed for kids, like Disney movies, tend to be in Swedish. If you check their website, it will tell you whether or not the movie is in English. I highly recommend going to the movies while you study in Sweden. Get there early because the ads are in Swedish, so it is entertaining to try to guess what is going on in them. When the company name pops up at the end, you’ll be surprised to see what the ad was actually trying to sell.  

Government Control on Alcohol 

Unlike in the United States, the government holds a monopoly on alcohol over 3.5%. Alcohol up to 3.5% can be sold in a grocery store. All alcohol over that amount and that is unopened must be sold at Systembolaget, a government run store. If you are 18 years old or older, you can buy alcohol up to 3.5%, and you can drink at bars or at the nations. To buy alcohol over 3.5% in an unopened bottle (i.e. not from a restaurant or club), you must be at least 20 years old.  

Environmental Regulations 

 

Sweden deeply cares about the environment. In your apartment, you will have three different containers for recycling plus compost bags. This will be sorted into 8-10 different containers outside your apartment. Your aluminum cans and plastic bottles can be returned to most grocery stores. There, they have a machine that you can insert the recyclables into and get store credit. Policies like this have helped Sweden recycles 99% of its waste. Some of that waste is incinerated for energy. When you think of burning trash in America, you probably picture smoke and a lot of pollutants entering the air—not in Sweden. The majority of the smoke is just water and carbon dioxide, and it is filtered prior to it reaching the atmosphere. 

 

 

Christine Pahel studied abroad in Lund, Sweden, in Spring 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/sweden/Pages/lund_univ.aspx

England | Day of Museums

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BY SAVANNAH SHAPIRO

LONDON

It’s already week 2 for us here in London and we only have 11 more days left in England. On Monday, we had our first classroom session which was on the campus on the University of Westminster. It felt like a normal day of class at UCLA, but felt different as Professor Makdisi talked about the streets on London while in London. I started making the connections to our readings we did and the streets we already roamed in London.  

Tuesday was a day for museums. We started our morning off bright and early and took some time before class to visit The British Museum. It was also the first day where we encountered rain. We were lucky enough to have clear and sunny skies for our first week here, but the rain came at last. Luckily, we were indoors which made it the perfect day to tour some museums.   

The British Museum is so large that you can spend hours and hours wandering through all the rooms in the building. There are over 90 rooms that are dedicated to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and Greece, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Not to mention, the museum is free! We spent most of our time in the Ancient Greece and Rome rooms, as well as the Egyptian room. My favorite room was the gallery that contained the Elgin Marbles. The marbles that were from the Parthenon in Athens Greece seemed so remarkable that my mind couldn’t fully comprehend what I was seeing.   

In addition to the Elgin Marbles, we saw the Rosetta Stone which was swarmed with hoards of people. The Rosetta Stone was the key for scholars to understand and decode the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. The cluster of ancient hieroglyphics clutter the surface of the stone from top to bottom. Although it was crowded around the Rosetta Stone, it was something definitely worth seeing.   

After The British Museum, it was time for class and we had to meet Professor Makdisi at the Tate Britain. The Tate Britain is the National Collection of British Art and is much less busy than The British Museum. At the Tate, we looked at artwork by Turner and Blake connecting the concepts of our walking tours to the pieces of artwork. We looked at how 18th century was captured both the good and the bad and compared this to the writing of Blake, Hannah Moore and Hazlitt.   

After we finished walking the Tate and finished class for the day, we went back to the dorms and relaxed. We called it an early night and made plans for the next day in Hamstead Heath.  

Savannah Shapiro studied abroad in England on the 2017 Summer Travel Study program “London and the Age of Revolution:” https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-London/

England | London Eye, Monmouth Street and the Seven Dials

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BY SAVANNAH SHAPIRO

LONDON

Before I came on this study abroad trip, I knew I wanted to do everything I could possibly do within the time I would be spending in London. Our class doesn’t start in the mid-afternoons and varies day-to-day so I try to do as much as I possibly can during the morning.

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Our class didn’t start until 2:00PM on our third day in London so five of us, myself included, decided to explore London and go see the London Eye, Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. We started our morning at 9:00 and took the Underground straight to the London Eye. We purchased tickets which cost £25 to take the 30 minute loop on the ferris wheel. I am not the biggest fan of ferris wheels, but this was one ferris wheel that I did like. You could see the entire city of London and get an entire aerial and panoramic view of the city. Our pod was air-conditioned (which as you know, is something I really appreciate when it’s so rare to come by here) and it inches along so slowly that it gives you just enough time to see everything. I would highly recommend to leave early in the morning to go to the London Eye to avoid long lines and a congested area. Later in the evening the line grows longer and longer as opposed to the morinngs where the lines aren’t as bad.  

After we got off the eye, we walked along Westminster Bridge looking up at Big Ben which was surreal. The area was busy, but because we went in the morning, it wasn’t as bad as it normally gets in the afternoon. We walked to Westminster Abbey and looked upon the intricate details of the front of the church.  

During our walking tour for class, we walked down Monmouth Street and to Seven Dials. We were able to see one of Nicholas Hawksmoor’s Churches which was featured in one of Hogarth’s print. I remember looking at the same print in class at UCLA and I was able to see the same church that was in the picture. We walked down further all the way down to Saffron Hill to conclude our day. There is a pub down the way called “The One Ton” which was mentioned in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist as “The Three Cripples.”  

It was a long day in London for us, but one of the best days! We were very tired but excited for the next day of adventures.  

Savannah Shapiro studied abroad in England on the 2017 Summer Travel Study program “London and the Age of Revolution:” https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-London/

England | English Countryside

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BY SAVANNAH SHAPIRO

The weekends are your free time. Professor Makdisi ends class early on Friday allowing you to fly out or take a train to another country which many students did their first weekend here. We decided to stay in England for our first weekend and travel outside the city into the countryside. We booked a tour where it took us to Windsor Castle, Lacock, Bath and Stonehenge. We had a long day and started the day off early meeting our bus at 7:45 in the morning at Victoria.  

 The bus was air conditioned (thank goodness) and the seats were nice and comfy making the trip on the road nice and comfortable. The whole week, we were always planning what to do and where to go, and this was the first time where someone was guiding us where tog o and when to come back which was something that I liked. It felt like a middle school field trip and it was nice for once to have some guidance on what to do and where to go. We didn’t have to worry about admission tickets inside the castle or Stonehenge, everything was already taken care of through the tours which made things that much more simple for us.  

Windsor was so amazing that it is hard to even put into words. The castle was surreal and the rooms inside packed in centuries of history. The crown molding that ran across the circumference of the wall and crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceilings were restored by Queen Elizabeth and transported you into a different time. There were separate rooms dedicated the knight’s armory rooms and old weaponry. I highly recommend exploring The State Apartments at Windsor which include all the bedrooms, weapon rooms and dinning tables of the castle. Certain rooms are closed during specific seasons of the years, but nonetheless every part of the castle that was open was awe inspiring.  

After our stop at Windsor, our tour guide Doug and driver Ricardo took us through the English countryside. We stopped in a tiny little village called Lacock where little houses sat on cobblestone streets. We were again transported in another time period. The cottages were cozy and tucked away on the long windy cobble stoned streets and we were able to wander up and down the pathways. It was like a fairytale.  

Our next stop took us to Bath. Bath felt like a little piece of Italy with its Yellowstone building and Roman architecture. We didn’t go into the Roman Baths although we could. The line was a little long and we decided that we just wanted to walk around the city and into the abbey that was rigt next to the baths. After going into the abbey, we walked down to a tiny little bakery down by the river and ate some pastries. The bakery was tucked away under a building where you had to crouch your head down low enough to get through the window that was the door. We passed a hand squeezed lemonade stand where you could smell the fresh scent of lemon peel. We stood on top of the walkaway and peered down at the gardens taking in all the sights around us.  

We soon made our way back onto the bus and proceeded to travel to our final stop of the day: Stonehenge. We parked next to a field that was littered with red poppies. The poppy filed alone would be worth visiting. A small little bus took us down the 2 mile path that leads up to Stonehenge. We walked up to the stones and fell in awe. It is another monument that is so historic that you don’t realize you are seeing it until you are there.  

I payed £74 for our trip to the countryside which included all of our entrance fees to the locations and a free lunch. Without a doubt, it was the best £74 I’ve spent so far.  

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England | Navigating Airports

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BY SAVANNAH SHAPIRO

I have never been on a plane by myself. I have never left the country. And the furthest flight that I have ever been on was from California to Arizona. That flight lasted around 35 minutes… Needless to say, I was a little nervous to be flying by myself on a ten hour flight to another country. My flight left at 6:00PM a day before my English program started giving me one day to explore the city. When I arrived at LAX, I was feeling both nervous and excited. My cousin gave me some advice prior to leaving that was extremely helpful for me.  

  1. Give yourself plenty of time before your flight. My flight left at 6:00PM and I was at LAX around 2:40. I wanted to give myself as much time as possible so I could learn how to navigate the airport.  
  2. Take everything one step at a time. Once you arrive at your airport, you check in with the airline you are flying with. You can stand in line to have your boarding pass printed, or you can choose the faster option and go to the automated stations that prints both your boarding pass and luggage tag. Your luggage must be under 50lbs (I had to put my chucks in my carryon because I was a little over oops!).  
  3. Security. Going through security is very simple and easy. You put all your carryon items up on the table and just wait to go through. If you are traveling with a computer, you must take the computer out of its case and put it in a separate bin! Because my cousin told me this before I left, I didn’t lock my carryon and I purposefully made my computer easily accessible. This saved me time and kept me calm throughout the process making everything much easier!  
  4. Landing. The great thing about airports is there is always someone there to help you. Additionally, there are multiple signs with arrows that lead you in the right direction. Once you start walking through the airport, you will go through immigration where you show your passport, an immigration card that your flight attendant will give you (they are also available everywhere in the airport), and proof that you are studying abroad (don’t worry, the IEO office will give this to you).  
  5. Heathrow Airport to London. It’s time to navigate yourself from the airport to the dorms. I landed in Heathrow at noon London time and decided to Uber from the airport to my friends apartment on near Clarkenwell. The Uber cost around $57 in U.S. currency. I wanted to learn more about the city before I traveled on the Heathrow Express and the Underground.  

Quick Tips: 

The app “Citymapper” is extremely helpful when trying to navigate the city. The app has bus routes, times and routes of the Underground as well as the fatest and cheapest options to wherever you are trying to go.   

England | Walking Tour of Trafalgar Square

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BY SAVANNAH SHAPIRO

London

Our second walking tour consisted of walking Trafalgar Square, which soon became one of my favorite hubs in London. Trafaglar square is busy and has been busy since the 1830s. Professor Makdisi explained during our walking tour that Trafaglar Square was a beacon for protests and riots during the 19th century. The statue that stands directly in the middle marks the middle of  the congested area and became my personal indicator that I was in the right place and not lost. The area now known as Trafaglar Square was originally known to be Charing Cross, but was later changed to expand the space and create a new urban space. Trafaglar Square is home to The National Gallery, which Professor Makdisi took us to later in the week. Not only does The National Gallery have paintings by Monet, Van Gogh, and Hogarth, but the gallery is also free and air conditioned (something that is hard to find in London). In addition, the National Gallery holds many other pieces of artwork by other artists which collectively amount up to around 300 paintings within the gallery itself.

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Running to the East of Trafalgar Square is The Strand which we walked all the way down past St. Paul’s Cathedral. Marking The Strand is an intricate building that is The Royal Courts of Justice. There is a large pillar that stands in the middle of the road with a dragon like gargoyle which used to be a warning for people outside the gates. Severed heads would be placed on the spikes and on the gargoyle statue in order to warn the people that they were a force to be reckoned with. Ahhhh scary!

After we walked down The Strand, we ended our walking tour day at Saint Brides Church. The church is interesting for two reasons: the steeple at the top was modeled after a wedding cake on purpose which explains why it is stacked like a cake and the church has remains and fragments after London was hit by bombings in World War II. You can actually go under the church and see where the church was hit.   

It was only the second day in London but the places we went during our walking tour truly took my breath away. We stopped by St. Paul’s Cathedral which was the heart of the old city of Lodnon during the time period in which we are studying. The design was by Wren and it demonstrates both Egyptian and Ancient Greek architecture. When we were passing the catherdral during our walking tour, Professor Makdisi advised us to look inside the church, but only when their five o’clock mass started. You could not only experience the service that was being held, but also, you do not have to pay to get inside the church during this time. If you wish to see the inside of the church at times that are not during the evening service, you can pay £15 to look inside. Regardless, it is something that is definitely worth seeing.  

Quick Tips: 

  1. Don’t pay to go inside St. Paul’s Cathedral, go at 5:00 PM for free admittance  
  1. Go see St. Paul’s Cathedral (It was one of my top five churches to see in London) 
  1. Bring water! We walk a lot and the days are hot and humid at times, so stay hydrated! 
  1. Soak everything up! This was a cool walking tour! 

Savannah Shapiro studied abroad in England on the 2017 Summer Travel Study program “London and the Age of Revolution:” https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-London/